Compass in the Mirror

I noticed when I tested a 2019 i3 that there was a compass indicator on the right side of the mirror. A small LED that indicated your direction I guess. Well I thought I was going to get this with the 2020 model but I guess not. There is a small hole on the right side of the mirror that suppose to be a reset for the compass so when I checked there was the hole but when I inserted a small tool (Allen key) there was no switch there.

Is this an optional feature that comes with a certain package or did they drop this feature all together?

Our 2014 BEV has the compass direction display on the right end of the rear-view mirror, so this isn't a new feature. I didn't know about the reset hole, so I will have to check our i3. Why would the compass display need to be reset?

Maybe this compass display is part of the Tech package. Or maybe it's included only with higher trim levels (ours is a U.S. Giga World).

The small orifice on the right side of the mirror has a switch...this were the instructions found online for compass settings or control.

Operating concept
Various functions can be called up by pressing the control button with a pointed object, such as the tip of a ballpoint pen or similar object. The following setting options are displayed in succession, depending on how long the con‐ trol button is pressed:
▷ Pressed briefly: turns display on/off.
▷ 3 to 6 seconds: compass zone setting.
▷ 6 to 9 seconds: compass calibration.
▷ 9 to 12 seconds: left/right-hand steering setting.
▷ 12 to 15 seconds: language setting.

BTW I don't have this feature. Timothy

That would be weird to have non-compass mirrors on hand using the same shell as a compass equipped variant. I mean, it makes sense to me for parts commonality, but in practice they're buying these from a vendor and I'd expect a non-compass mirror would be a unique shell.

Then again, it could be the supplier was short and BMW took them without compasses to keep production moving. I know of actual instances where Ford and GM/Saturn pulled this.

I just looked at my 2017's window sticker, mdecoder, and owners manual. The former two don't mention the compass. The latter discusses operation of the compass without disclaiming it may be optional equipment.

Timjohn said:

The following setting options are displayed in succession, depending on how long the con‐ trol button is pressed:
▷ Pressed briefly: turns display on/off.
▷ 3 to 6 seconds: compass zone setting.
▷ 6 to 9 seconds: compass calibration.
▷ 9 to 12 seconds: left/right-hand steering setting.
▷ 12 to 15 seconds: language setting.

Click to expand...

Who knew one hidden button could do so much?

Timjohn said:

The small orifice on the right side of the mirror has a switch...this were the instructions found online for compass settings or control.

Operating concept
Various functions can be called up by pressing the control button with a pointed object, such as the tip of a ballpoint pen or similar object. The following setting options are displayed in succession, depending on how long the con‐ trol button is pressed:
▷ Pressed briefly: turns display on/off.
▷ 3 to 6 seconds: compass zone setting.
▷ 6 to 9 seconds: compass calibration.
▷ 9 to 12 seconds: left/right-hand steering setting.
▷ 12 to 15 seconds: language setting.

Click to expand...

Now I have something else to do while sheltering at home. Thanks!

The GPS must not communicate with the compass controller to tell it where the car is which I assume would determine the zone setting. It will be interesting to learn how to calibrate the compass.

On my other BMW, I don't remember if it was the same with the i3, to calibrate the compass, you first got it into that mode, then drove the car in circles until the display came back.

FWIW, the magnetic north pole has constantly been moving, but is moving faster recently than previous history...It's moving towards Siberia at something under 50-miles/year. So, depending on where you live, could be off a bit!

The procedure for calibrating the compass...

1. Make sure that there are no large metallic objects or overhead power lines near the vehicle and that there is sufficient room to drive around in a circle.
2. Set the currently applicable compass zone.
3. Press and hold the control button for ap‐ prox. 6 to 7 seconds so that "C" appears on the display. Next, drive in a complete circle at least once at a speed of no more than 4 mph/7 km/h. If calibration is suc‐ cessful, the "C" is replaced by the points of the compass.

I guess because I have navigation professional maybe don't need the compass. Timothy

Timjohn said:

Various functions can be called up by pressing the control button with a pointed object, such as the tip of a ballpoint pen or similar object. The following setting options are displayed in succession, depending on how long the con‐ trol button is pressed:
▷ Pressed briefly: turns display on/off.
▷ 3 to 6 seconds: compass zone setting.
▷ 6 to 9 seconds: compass calibration.
▷ 9 to 12 seconds: left/right-hand steering setting.
▷ 12 to 15 seconds: language setting.

Click to expand...

With not enough to do during these strange times, I decided to check the compass settings on our 2014 Giga BEV. From BMW's compass zone map, our i3 is in Zone 6. However, the compass was set to Zone 8 which would result in several degrees of inaccuracy. Zone 8 is a band through the center of the U.S. Seems odd that BMW would set compasses to Zone 8 rather than maybe the zone at its U.S. headquarters. It appears that our local BMW dealer doesn't set the compass zone before selling its vehicles.

After setting the correct zone, the direction displayed on the mirror still did not seem quite correct, so I performed the calibration procedure. The displayed direction seems more correct now. However, by adjusting the mirror, the displayed direction changes, so the displayed direction is that of the mirror rather than the car itself. That would introduce some inaccuracy because the mirror is always rotated a bit toward the driver. However, with the compass displaying only 8 compass directions, accuracy isn't crucial.

alohart said:

...by adjusting the mirror, the displayed direction changes, so the displayed direction is that of the mirror rather than the car itself. That would introduce some inaccuracy because the mirror is always rotated a bit toward the driver. However, with the compass displaying only 8 compass directions, accuracy isn't crucial.

Click to expand...

That would be where the left-hand drive / right-hand drive setting comes in -- by no means perfect, but some average tilt off-axis to address what could otherwise be a ~25° cumulative error.

eNate said:

That would be where the left-hand drive / right-hand drive setting comes in -- by no means perfect, but some average tilt off-axis to address what could otherwise be a ~25° cumulative error.

Click to expand...

Ah, I assumed that this left-right setting would switch the display to the opposite end of the mirror. However, the mirror probably doesn't have 2 displays, so your explanation is probably correct.

My 2019 i3S was a Deka model, so not "top of the line" and I had the compass in my rear view mirror.

My 2020 i3S is a "top of the line" Tera World; Tech package, leather, wood...and my rear view mirror has NO compass.

Either the factory in Leipzig installed the wrong mirror (very Tesla, very un-BMW), 2020 models axed the compass or as was mentioned there was a parts shortage and non-compass mirrors were installed.

Just strange for my higher end 2020 not to have something my lower end 2019 had.

It may be that the 'Nav Map' can show you which direction the car is facing . I think the map rotates as the car turns .

GPS can only calculate orientation when you're moving. The vehicle does have other sensors that can tell the nav that you've moved, or reversed, so can help with that if you had a gps fix prior and can keep track of where you are, at least for awhile, if you're driving through say a long tunnel where it cannot keep a gps fix, those other sensors feeding the nav system can just keep tracking your position but the accuracy will degrade the longer you're out of gps coverage.

There's no connection between the mirror and the nav system.